Parent’s Guide to Their Child Wanting a Motorcycle – Parents instinctively want to shield their children from all the harm which may come their way. This is very normal behaviour, however, we as parents sometimes need to know when our concern for our kids’ safety is a bit too much. It’s extremely important to support your child and their interests and hobbies as they are growing up. However, some hobbies have a bad rep with parents, such as motorcycle riding. This is why we’re here to give you some advice on how to handle your child’s wish to try out riding the metal stallion and to reassure you that they’re not as dangerous as many think.
Parent’s Guide to Their Child Wanting a Motorcycle
Safety comes first
Before you get your kid his first bike, you need to consider the safety first. Riding motorcycles has the same dangers, no matter the age of the motorcyclist. This is why there is really no difference in child motorcycle safety when compared to adults. The most important thing is to invest in a quality helmet. Make sure the helmet is not too big though – if the helmet is not adequate in size it can cause more harm than good in an instance of a biking accident. If you think a helmet is not enough, you can get knee and elbow shields too. However, make sure they don’t impact your child’s mobility.
Biking has many benefits
Many people only focus on the dangers of biking while disregarding all the benefits it has. One of the larger pluses is that it can improve your kid’s attention span since they need to be aware of the road and stay extremely focused while they ride. Self-esteem benefits shouldn’t be forgotten either. Having hobbies one enjoys can significantly boost one’s confidence. Also, if you take up biking along with your child, you can boost your relationship too. Having another family activity can bring you two much closer. Maybe when they grow up you can take out your sport touring motorcycles on the road and spend a whole weekend riding across the country. This is something to look forward to and will be a memory you’ll both cherish.
Make sure they really want it
A motorcycle lifestyle can be a big commitment, one that you make for life. This is why it’s so important to make sure your kid is serious about their wishes. If you conclude that it’s a fleeting interest, try to talk them out of it and suggest another fun activity that is more sustainable. For example, get them toy motorcycles and see how they act around their new toys. If they play with them for an hour and walk away uninterested, the probability that the same thing will happen with a real bike is high. Hav
e an honest conversation with them. Talk to them about the price of the bike, maintenance and all the equipment they will need. This way they will know that you’re seriously considering their new interests, while making sure they’re serious about it too.
Get a minibike
If your kid is quite young and small, a standard size bike can be quite difficult for them to ride as well as rather dangerous. Also, don’t try to save money by buying the cheapest vehicle for them. Though some characteristics may look the same, most of these ultra-cheap motorbikes are made with low-quality materials and you want the best for your kid. However, if you’re on a budget you can get excellent used motorbikes. Since kids outgrow their minis, there’s an abundance of second hand options online. Once you get the bike, don’t forget to take care of it. Your kid can help you with the maintenance, which will teach them mechanic skills they will for sure need later in life.
